NC’s Medicaid CFO resigns

Another Medicaid veteran has resigned from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

Richard Brennan was the chief financial officer for Medicaid until he submitted his letter of resignation Monday.

The McCrory administration hired Brennan in May 2013. He had more than 30 years of experience in Medicaid and auditing in West Virginia.

Until September, Brennan had reported directly to Medicaid director Carol Steckel, who was hired amid great fanfare in January 2013 by Secretary of Health and Human Services Aldona Wos.

Steckel, who came to North Carolina with 27 years of Medicaid experience in Louisiana and Alabama, resigned in September.

“We appreciate the time Rick spent in North Carolina working to help us lay the foundation for the ongoing Medicaid transformation, and we wish him well in his future endeavors,” Kevin Howell, a department spokesman, said in a statement.

Brennan could not be reached through phone messages or email on Tuesday.

Howell declined to release Brennan’s resignation letter. In contrast, the department posted Steckel’s resignation online when she stepped down in September.

The Medicaid division, known as the Division of Medical Assistance, has been plagued by vacancies. Earlier this year, the Medicaid division had 81 of its 332 positions vacant, or 24 percent. The average post had been open for 364 days.

Steckel’s job went vacant until April 29, when Wos appointed Dr. Robin Cummings as Medicaid director. Cummings also holds the duties of acting state health director.